Cheese Fondue

Cheese Fondue: Basic Recipe

600 g. (21 oz.) shredded cheese (1/2 Gruyere, 1/2 Emmentaler)
1 garlic clove
1 1/4 c. dry white wine
3 tsp. cornstarch
3 small glasses Kirsch (you can find this in a liquior store)
ground pepper
nutmeg

Rub a heavy saucepan or heat proof clay fondue pot with the
split garlic clove. Dissolve the cornstarch in the kirsch.
Put the cheese and wine into the pan and slowly bring to a
boil, stirring constantly. When the cheese is completely
melted, add the kirsch and corstarch mixture, stirring
vigorously. Continue to cook. Season with pepper and nutmet
to taste. Serve over an alcohol lamp. The cooking should
continue on low heat. Stir constantly with small pieces of
bread speared on a fondue fork.

NOTE:

There are several varieties of fondue:

In the canton of Vaud, fondue is either served Moite-Moite
(half/half), meaning 300 g (10 1/2 oz.) Fribourg Vacherin
and 300 g. Gruyere, or only with Vacherin but without wine.
The latter version calls for a very ripe Vacherin. The
cheese is melted at low heat with 1/3 c. hot water. The
fondue should not boil. It is served in a fondue pot over a
candle (not alcohol burner).

In the Jura region, the fondue is made up of at least 1/2
Jura cheese and enhanced with 1-2 shallots per person. The
shallots are eaten last.

In Geneva, three kinds of cheese are used: Gruyere,
Emmentaler and a Vaudois (region) cheese. Then, sauteed
chopped morels (fresh or dried and pre-soaked) or diced
tomatoes are added.

In Switzerland, fondue is usually eaten with bite-sized
pieces of crusty bread speared onto a fondue fork; however,
one can also use small potatoes or potato pieces. Fondue
aficionados dunk their bread in kirsch before dipping into
the cheese. And don't forget: whoever loses his bread in
the pan must pay for a round of beer or a bottle of wine.
If it happens to a lady, she must kiss the man sitting next
to her. On the whole, however, the former is more popular.

Another tidbit: fondue is traditionally stirred in a figure
eight style to keep all ingredients well mixed.

Just a quickie from memory... I make 2 cups of medium white
sauce and add 1 cup of grated cheese, stirring until totally
melted. Serve with toasted bread cubes (approx 1" square)
or *slightly* steamed veggies like cauliflower. Be careful
not to make the veggies too soft; they *will* fall off your
fondue fork.

I have a small cook book that came with our fondue pot if
you'd like some more. This was just something to get you
going. if you have any particular things in mind, like
'chocolate fondue', just send me an e-mail.

The ultimate fondue recipe (at least our family and friends
think so) is in LaRousse Treasury of Country Cooking. Have
been making this in the holidays for years, as well as may
of the other recipes in that great book.

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